Riya Learning Centre

Riya Learning Centre (RLC)

RLC is an initiative for economic empowerment of Intellectually challenged [(L)earn – learn and earn] targeted at Differentially abled children above 18 years of age

The official census has stated a significant part of our population in Karnataka is disabled one way or another. By giving them special education organizations has been successful in creating a normal life. But financial security for such children from poor background has always been a problem. Though government benefits are available for them, very few are benefited from it.

“Riya Learning Centre” helps individuals with varied intellectual challenges, develop a career by learning basic computer operations with minimum reasoning. The course structure for this training program is based on AMBA CEEIC (Bangalore). Our main aim till present has been to provide comprehensive care and educate such children to develop social skill. We now have taken one more step to make life better for them by providing a platform for a career. Our goal is of economic empowerment of deferentially able children

Problem to be addressed:

The empowerment of special children does not stop at providing care and making them successful at social level. It completes only when their hidden talents are made use for self and the society. It becomes a necessity to make them eligible for a career, when they reach adulthood. Special education for such teenagers is very much in demand. The challenge is to provide knowledge in a way that will make more meaning to them. The philosophy of education is incomplete without a specific learning process for these adults.

Our initiative towards this problem is by providing a training course on basic computer operations, through Riya Learning Centre. This training provides them with the opportunity to use computer as a tool for data entry. With growing development in the computer and telecom field, the children trained in this course can have chance to develop a career out of it. We have based this learning centre based on the curriculum devised by AMBA CEEIC.

Amba CEEIC is an organization that greatly benefits with adults developmental disorders and extremely delayed milestones and those who have difficulty to go through mainstream learning by peer training and supervision. The main activity of the organization is doing visual and functional data entry for mainstream organizations. The organization has been awarded the Ashoka fellowship for the specific curriculum that has made it possible to mainstream this community and give them the dignity to become contributors to the society. The training program has made these adults contributing members of their families and society, making the parents proud. The mainstream companies that support this endeavour meet their CSR needs while getting back their office work done, thus benefitting both sides.

AMBA CEEIC usually works with existing institutions like Riya Foundation by using their infrastructure, trainers and peers to take the process forward. Riya Learning Centre (RLC) is the result of such collaboration, where the members of Riya foundation are trained to carry out the training thus addressing the differently abled adults in need of a competent career.

Curriculum:

This curriculum prepares the youngsters with varied intellectual challenges to do functional data entry with minimum reasoning. The learning process stimulates the brain and enables the functional usage of computer. It brings about sustainable livelihood for extremely low functioning intellectually challenged persons. The course structure is designed in such a way that it does not impart computer literacy but enables the individual to use computer as a tool for visual data entry. Our course involves the training in the following

Identifying parts of the computer – Opening and closing the computer. Functional usage of mouse with Paint

Introduction to WORD and usage along with its tools:

Training on the functional usage of Excel:

Internet and emailing:

Basic troubleshooting while using a computer.

Too much of information can be disastrous to this community, hence the aim is to encourage peer training and supervision. Training becomes complete only when the implementing for practical purposes and enabling sustainable livelihood. Hence more focus is given for getting back office work immediately on completing training. As a large percentage of the beneficiaries cannot understand the alphabets and numbers when they start training, special attention is given to ensure the proper understanding of the learning purpose. The trainees also benefit from this program by developing skill to train (as assistant trainers) other prospective students with a considerate stipend. These assistant trainers perform both data entry for mainstream organizations as well as address adults similar to them. This improves the learning process as the trainers have a better understanding of the difficulties faced during the curriculum.

To quote Charles Darwin: “it is not the strongest of species that survive, not the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change”. Education must therefore reinvent the reconstruct itself so that to be “built to last” is actually “built to change.” The goal of developing schools as caring communities for all students may seem a distant dream; but then are not the fantasies of yesterday, the realization of today. With our initiative we have taken a step towards that dream, and hoping to get the required support from all communities of the society.

Disclaimer

"Riya Foundation” is a registered trust (non-profit organization -155/2009-10 IV) registered with the Commissioner of Income Tax under 12-A of the Income Tax Act bearing No.
R-57/80G/CIT/MNG/2011.12, established in the year 2010. Your donation is tax-deductible under 80G.
We run a residential recreational facility for the people with special needs called "Riya Hope Farm", currently located at Mangalore (India).